Intex makes the Excursion 5 ready out of the box to support a crew of up to 5 people. With enough space for tons of gear, beer, and all the required daily goodies there’s a lot to like.

The boat comes with 4 fishing rod holders on each side of the boat. These are placed next to bench seating that faces inward for conversation or spending time together whether you’re landing fish or drifting the lake.

The Intex inflatable boat is made of three inflatable chambers which independently hold air. No need to worry about having your boat “pop” and sink to the bottom like the titanic.

Of course with an inflatable boat you’ll need some way to pump it up. That’s why there’s an included high pressure manual operated pump.

There are aftermarket electric pumps, but with the stock Intex pump you’ll be pumping by hand.

While there are motor mount fittings included with the boat, some users worry that this PVC boat just isn’t quite sturdy enough to handle a motor. This may not be the cheapest inflatable boat you can get, but its pretty close!

For the price, it’s pretty hard to argue with this inflatable boat that has room for plenty of people, gear, and mounted equipment.

Overall I think it’s a slight improvement over the Excursion 5 as it features rugged and durable 3-ply construction and a slightly smaller frame. With a reduced footprint the boat is able to hold more solidly in form and function.

I love that they prominently feature the reinforced rock and abrasion guard around the inflatable hull. This is an area of significantly increased durability where the boat is made to handle bumps, scrapes, and scratches.

Overall the 4 person inflatable boat features two rod holders for fishing, two rotating oar locks, and battery and gear pouches.

It’s outfitted and engineered to handle a small transom trolling motor which mounts up to preinstalled holes on the exterior of the inflatable boat.

Because of the lightweight nature of the boat and relatively short frame, it makes a great candidate for a small electric trolling motor.

It’s a little smaller than the Excursion 5 and equipped with plenty of accessories, this boat is really a do-it-all system.

If you want a boat that can float with a group of people or take you and your friend fishing for the evening, this is the best inflatable boat for the money that can wear all the hats!

With a 6-person capacity you’d think this inflatable boat would hulk like a behemoth. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. This olive and yellow boat is ready to handle fishing, paddling, or floating with any number of people.

I love that they included several rotating oar locks so that people in the middle or rear of the boat can paddle.

Grab two sets of oars if you want to paddle faster! Plus, there are two mounted rod holders ready to go when you want to land a nice game fish.

There are plenty of drink holders sprinkled around the boat and 4 separate drain plugs to dry out the boat when you pull it up for the night.

I like that the movable seat can be adjusted around the boat. That helps get it in the right spot so that you can put a transom trolling motor in the back and paddle from the front set of oar locks.

Of course you’ll want to leave room for fishing tackle and space for the kids to cast their lines without hooking you on the back swing!

So don’t pack the boat too full. Its a tough call but this may be the best inflatable boat because it does everything pretty well at a reasonable price.

This 9’ long inflatable pontoon boat is made to outperform all the boats on our list when it comes to load bearing, motor mounting, fish slaying fun!

There’s no mistake that the cataraft design with two inflatable tubes and a suspended seat and decking, is agile and capable of bear amazing loads.

While you might not want to hook up the old two stroke outboard, this cataraft is ready to take on a trolling motor. Two oarlocks hold the included paddles in place and can be adjusted into three separate positions.

That goes along with the two position adjustable motor mount and the super durable seat.

The boat itself weighs in at a moderate 71 pounds but it can handle up to 440 pounds of capacity. There is plenty of rear storage for both the trolling motor battery and your fishing tackle.

I personally love the armrests which are not only well placed, but they features additional storage. These are the perfect place for your soft sided tackle boxes. There’s also a detachable foam fly holder!

Because the body of this raft is solid and features many components made from steel or aluminum, it won’t pack down as well as some other boats.

For carrying in the car or frequent transportation you may want to go with the Ancheer. If you’re storing this boat at the beachhouse and won’t need to pack it up it could be a top contender for the best inflatable fishing boat!

Newport is bringing us the last boat on our list which is another addition to the Dinghy class of boats.

Like the Inflatable Sport Boats Shark 9.8, the Dana Dinghy is made from advanced, tough materials and supports tons of load, options, and power. .There are a few differences though.

This Newport boat comes in quite a bit cheaper than the Inflatable Sport Boats Shark 9.8. For that cheaper price you get the same sturdy 1100 denier construction, aluminum floor and decking, and aluminum seats.

However, you lose the ability to handle some horsepower. This boat is rated for a maximum of 10 HP versus the Inflatable Sport Boats Shark 9.8 which can handle 15.

If that sounds trivial then perhaps the cheaper price and lower motor output is a good choice for you. But when you consider that 15 HP is 150% more power and speed than a 10 HP motor you may want to spring for the more expensive boat.

In general they offer most of the same competitive features. Users with tighter budgets will probably prefer the cost savings of the Newport Vessels dinghy.

Best For: Boaters on a budget looking for an inflatable boat that can handle a moderate outboard motor.

How to Choose the Best Inflatable Boat

Inflatable boats are a relatively new addition to the options available who want to get out on the water. Traditionally only hard bodied canoes and kayaks were easy to find and buy.

Not to mention inflatable boats have to be sturdy, resilient, and puncture proof. With newer and better inflatable boats on the market today it’s easier to find a boat to fit your needs.

If you’ve never considered purchasing a new inflatable boat, there are a few things you might miss that are quite important!

What Type of Inflatable Boat is Right for You?

Just like traditional hard bodied boats, inflatable boats come in many varieties. Whether you want a kayak, canoe, single or tandem there’s an option out there. But how do you know where to start?

Canoe-type inflatable boats are generally a good choice for 1-2 people with some gear. A canoe can handle enough gear to comfortably go out on a fishing trip or multi-day canoe camping trip.

These boats aren’t as small and agile as a kayak but the greater storage space provides more flexibility for boaters to choose their favorite activity.

Kayak inflatables are the smallest and most nimble boat available. They’re lightweight and will very easily fit in any vehicle when packed down.

The smallest and lightest inflatable kayaks can even be packed into a backpack!

Rafts and larger inflatable boats can handle up to half a dozen people or more. These boats are usually “party boats”. Unless, of course, you upgrade to a full-on river raft.

Most inflatable rafts for recreational use feature additions such as coolers, cup holders, and often mounted oars.

How Often Will You Use Your Boat?

For those who may use their inflatable boat only occasionally, skimping on quality might be fine. Spending a few extra bucks to get a durable, high quality boat for regular use, however, is critical.

If you plan to use your inflatable boat regularly, consider increasing your budget to accommodate. Getting an extra inflatable kayak for when the kids visit the cottage doesn’t need to break the bank.

Buying a boat for weekend fishing trips might be worth investing in the most durable and rugged boats available which could rapidly increase in price..

Catarafts or Regular Inflatable Boats?

Catarafts deserve to be in a category of their own. While they are technically inflatable boats, they don’t quite fit the same bill. Catarafts are made of two inflatable bodies joined by a network of aluminum tubing and webbing.

Catarafts are generally more agile and responsive than their equivalent sized raft counterparts. They’re inherently self bailing since they do not feature a full floor on the boat bottom. Instead the bottom of the raft is usually open and sits up off the water.

While some traditional rafts can handle a motor, catarafts generally have an superior load bearing performance. They can be easily balanced and loaded with supplies or heavy objects like an outboard motor.

Catarafts make a superior choice of inflatable boat if you have enough room to transport them.

Construction Material

Inflatable boats are generally made of just two materials. Fortunately it makes things easy to distinguish when choosing. If you’re on a tight budget and need to keep prices as low as possible, you may prefer PVC boats.

PVC inflatable boats are constructed with a coated PVC fabric. These fabrics are durable and dependable although they fail to maintain the excellent properties of the superior Hypalon fabrics. There’s nothing wrong with PVC and it will work great for occasional, gentle use.

Hypalon, on the other hand, is an advanced synthetic material which can be used to improve the performance of inflatable boats.

Boats made with hypalon are heavier but significantly more robust than those made with PVC. If you want to keep your boat assembled and docked, say, all summer at the cottage, then Hypalon might be a better choice for you.

Trade offs include the increased price of hypalon versus the lower cost of PVC. Hypalon is heavier and thus harder to pack and transport.

PVC might be a better choice for packing into the back of the car on a regular basis. Hypalon will withstand more use and abuse than PVC.

Decking Material and Design

Decking underfoot in inflatable boats is usually designed either as a high pressure inflatable floor, or as solid aluminum planks that snap into place.

Aluminum planks offer the added benefits of being more sturdy and rigid. They will perform more closely to an aluminum flat bottom boat compared to inflatable bottoms.

These interlocking aluminum ribs or tubes form a solid feeling bottom that might just make many users feel safer in general.

Inflatable bottoms are generally high pressure tubes that provide structure and rigidity to the boat. These floors can be a little “squishy” underfoot and may feel a little unsafe at first.

Usually the bottom of these floors is protected by design or material from being easily punctured or abraded from underneath. Nonetheless, you should be careful not to beach on sharp objects with abrupt force!

Inflatable bottom boats tend to be more forgiving and absorb more of the shock of waves. If having a gentle ride or being easy on the knees is important, consider using an inflatable bottom raft.

Conclusion

Ultimately boaters have three main choices in the world of inflatable boats. Choose an inflatable raft style boats, such as the Intex models, for more relaxed and group fun at an affordable price.

Consider a cataraft style boat for the option to choose between lakes, rivers, and other hard to navigate places when it’s just one person and their fishing gear.

For the heaviest loads and the largest motors possible with an inflatable boat you’ll want a dinghy style boat.

No matter what boat you choose, remember to start by consider how you’ll use it. Whether you’ll transport it daily, or once a year. How many people will be in the boat and what types of activities might you want to do with it?

Some of the boats on our list are great for more than one type of fun. Others are meant just for fishing. At the end of the day, just remember to have fun!

I hope this guide was helpful in picking the best inflatable boat to fit your needs. If you want to comment or recommend a boat I didn’t include, please use my contact form to get in touch.

Have fun and be safe out there!

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About Casey Fielder

I am an avid outdoorsman with experience in naturalist education, outside adventure education, ski instruction, and writing. In addition to my outdoor hobbies, I’m a huge fan of punk rock.
I have launched several start-ups. (or business ventures) When exploring the backcountry, I usually carry less than 10 pounds of gear. Years of experience have taught me to pack light.
I enjoy sharing my experiences of backcountry education teaching and guiding through writing.